The present invention relates to a grip handle for certain sport implements, exercise apparatus and sport machines. More particularly the invention concerns such a grip handle which is part of and is connected to implements or certain machines for the performance of athletic exercises in the course of which the exercising person takes hold and firmly grips with one or both hands a part, such as a hoop or ring, which is in a suspended manner hanging from fixed element, such as the ceiling of a room or a beam or girder extending horizontally at an elevated level. In the performance of such athletics or when using like implements or apparatus, the exercising person, while gripping the said hoop or ring or other parts of the respective apparatus, has to perform a variety of movements with her or his hands involving turning the hand about the joint between the hand proper and the lowermost part of the arm.
There are known a number of patents which relate to similar apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,370 relates to a weight lifting apparatus (Barbells) in which a pair of rotatably mounted handle means are incorporated in the rod means of the apparatus, the two handles each rotating within a ring fixedly attached to said rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,473 relates to a weight lifting apparatus having a central part which comprises a rectangular frame in which a pair of rings are journalled for rotation. Two handles are fixedly secured in the pair of rings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,184 relates to an exercise apparatus where the handles are fixedly mounted within a ring rotatably mounted within a U-shaped member which is rotatably mounted to the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,400 relates to Barbells provided with a pair of rings fixedly connected to the Barbells' bar. Two handles are rotatably within the rings.
U.S. Pat. Re33218 relates to a weight lifting bar provided with handles which may selectively rotate within a ring comprising part of the bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,035 relates to an adjustable barbell bar. Rotating handles are mounted within a ring fixedly held within a rectangular frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,434 relates to an excise device incorporating a weight lifting bar provided with a pair of rings provided as a part of said bar. Handles provided within the rings are rotatably mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,349 relates to a barbell rod from which two rings provided with fixed handles are rotatably mounted.
In all the above arrangements either the ring is rotatably mounted or the handle is rotatably mounted within the ring, which enables the user to exercise his wrist only in one plane with the exception of the arrangement decreded in -'184 where the ring is mounted within two rotatably members thus enabling better exercise of the wrist.
Contrary to all the above described apparatus and arrangments the assembly according to the invention enables the rotation of the handle in two planes thus the wrist is free to move in any required direction and angle.
The assembly according to the invention simulates a universal movement or gyroscope.